Friday marks a couple of sweet milestones baked to perfection in Quesnel.
On Aug. 1, the Quesnel Bakery celebrates its 49th anniversary, while its head baker, Horst Teetzen celebrates his 82nd birthday.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e doing very well and I wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 be able to do it alone,乌鸦传媒� Horst told Black Press Media. 乌鸦传媒淭he people around me and customers from Quesnel, I乌鸦传媒檓 amazed.乌鸦传媒�
The bakery has been a staple in the community since Horst took it over 49 years ago from his brother-in-law, but he乌鸦传媒檚 been baking since he was 14 years old.
Horst grew up in Germany and in 1958, right after he finished 乌鸦传媒渕ittelschule," which means middle school, students had to look for an apprenticeship. He was able to get an opportunity in a bakery.
乌鸦传媒淵ou乌鸦传媒檙e lucky you got one, no matter what,乌鸦传媒� said Horst, who added students had to take anything that came along.
The bakery he started in was 17 kilometres away in Hamberg, where he eventually moved to. Horst was born in 1943 during World War ll in an area of Germany that now belongs to Poland. He乌鸦传媒檚 tried to go back but there乌鸦传媒檚 too many bad feelings along the border.
While learning the ropes of becoming a baker, Horst was working at one establishment in Black Forest, Germany. At that bakery, he met his wife, who was a store clerk.
Horst committed to baking, but always wanted to be a sailor when growing up. Over time, he eventually got the opportunity to bake and be a cook乌鸦传媒檚 helper on fishing boats. One opportunity came up for Horst through a friend of his, a friend that ended up marrying Horst乌鸦传媒檚 sister.
The friend's dad was captaining a ship from Germany to Montreal. His friend was already a baker in British Columbia and both Horst and his wife liked to travel so they made their way to Montreal and eventually to B.C. They made the trip with their two little kids as well.
After getting to the west coast, the Teetzens bounced around a bit, with Horst working in bakeries in Kamloops and Penticton. Eventually, they arrived in Quesnel, where he worked at the main bakery in town that his brother-in-law took over. However, after some time, Quesnel became too cold for his brother-in-law and his wife. They gave the bakery to Horst and Quesnel Bakery was born, on Aug. 1, 1976.
Now, 49 years later, Horst is still baking goods for the community everyday, including his favourites, crusty buns and light rye bread, but his son Gerd, and his wife Wanda are the primary owners. It's a family business as one of Herd and Wanda's daughters now works in the bakery as well.
"It乌鸦传媒檚 my home," said Horst. "I never knew my home because it乌鸦传媒檚 Poland now."
Horst added he has many stories from over the years he could tell but it's the community and people he's worked with the last 49 years that mean the most. He added his longest tendered employee, Linda, lasted 35 years and three people who worked for him now run businesses in Quesnel.
"It makes me so proud,乌鸦传媒� said Horst.
At 82, he plays in Quesnel's 55+ senior bowling league and recently, someone who worked at the bakery as a teenager years ago joined the league, a surprise Horst said.
Gerd added that on top of baking, Horst continues to live an active lifestyle and he lives with a purpose.
"Living with a purpose has added years to his life and literally life to his years," said Gerd about his father.
While the Quesnel Bakery bounced around locations a couple times, it's been at it's current location at 468 Reid Street for years now. A while back, the bakery rented out part of the building to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Quesnel (BBBSQ).
乌鸦传媒淲e appreciate all the hard work that they乌鸦传媒檝e done,乌鸦传媒� said Gerd, who added someone who works at BBBSQ was a classmate of his growing up in Quesnel and used to work at the bakery with him. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 always been a very good experience for all involved when we乌鸦传媒檝e worked with them.乌鸦传媒�
Because of this relationship between the organizations and to celebrate the anniversary and birthday, the bakery has been hosting a fundraiser over the last couple weeks, with proceeds going to BBBSQ. Anyone who buys a three-pack of happy face cookies or a large order of cookies for a business, can enter into the black forest cake draw. The winner of the cake will be announced on Facebook.
Additionally, Horst and Gerd told Black Press Media about a recent hire that's a "full circle moment." Gerd said that 49 years ago, Quesnel took a chance on his dad, an immigrant from Germany and they were all welcomed with open arms. Now, this past May, after two years of due diligence, completing paperwork, and navigating our complex immigration system, the Quensel Bakery welcomed a higher-skilled baker named Ian, his wife Melissa, and their three kids to town from India.
乌鸦传媒淛ust like my father, so many people want to help him and get to know him,乌鸦传媒� said Gerd. 乌鸦传媒淥ur country is amazing in how we accept people from other nationalities and other countries. I乌鸦传媒檓 just so pleased.乌鸦传媒�
It's unknown how long Horst will keep baking, but he loves it and going to keep doing so as long as he can.
乌鸦传媒淨uesnel is home," said Horst. 乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 so humbled to be here, I love Quesnel.乌鸦传媒�
